Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Leonard Vialpando
Department: Environmental Protection Division: Housing Finance & Comm. Redevelopment
Information
Requested Action
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MOTION TO AUTHORIZE County Administrator to execute grant funding agreements with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) for the Fiscal Year 2020/2021 Community Development Block Grant (“CDBG”) Program, HOME Investment Partnerships (“HOME”) Program, and the Emergency Solutions Grants (“ESG”) Program, collectively "Programs," in the forms attached as (Exhibit 1), relating to implementation of Broward County’s Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Annual Action Plan ("AAP") (October 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021) and Fiscal Year 2020-2024 five-year Consolidated Plan (“CP”) (October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2025), approved by HUD (Exhibit 2); to revise funding allocations and/or project service deliverables under the HUD approved AAP for the various grant Programs in accordance with the HUD approved Broward County five-year CP; and to take all necessary administrative and budgetary actions for implementation of the various grant Programs, including, but not limited to, HUD grant agreement amendments and/or new HUD grant agreements, subrecipient agreements, amendments, reinstatements, project/activity priorities and budgetary changes in accordance with the CP and AAP, and interlocal agreements for funding of the respective grant Programs, including any prior year program income, subject to approval as to form by the Office of the County Attorney.
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Why Action is Necessary
Board action is required to authorize the County Administrator to execute HUD grant funding agreements for implementation of Broward County's Fiscal Year 2020-2021 AAP approved by HUD; to revise funding allocations and/or project service deliverables under the HUD approved AAP for the various grant Programs in accordance with the HUD approved Broward County five-year CP; and to take all other administrative and budgetary actions necessary for implementation of the grants.
What Action Accomplishes
Action authorizes the County Administrator to execute HUD grant funding agreements for Broward County's Fiscal Year 2020-2021 for the various grant Programs, to revise funding allocations and/or project service deliverables under the HUD approved AAP for the various grant Programs in accordance with the HUD approved Broward County five-year CP, and to take all other administrative and budgetary actions necessary to implement plans.
Is this Action Goal Related
Yes
Previous Action Taken
No Previous Action
Summary Explanation/Background
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE HOUSING FINANCE AND COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.
This item supports the Board's value: "Offering sustainable, compatible, innovative housing options for all income levels, including integrated, permanent supportive housing,” and the corresponding goal of, "Increase the availability of affordable housing of all types, countywide in every community using effective, uniform criteria, policies and strategies.”
Advertising Requirements: On December 1, 2019, via the Sun Sentinel and the Housing Finance and Community Redevelopment Division (HFCRD) website, the HFCRD advertised the availability of funds and the pre-development public hearing and fair housing workshop for the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 AAP and Fiscal Year 2020-2024 CP. The meeting was held on January 6, 2020. The HFCRD subsequently advertised the AAP and CP pre-adoption meeting and comment period on July 19, 2020 and held the pre-adoption public hearing on August 12, 2020, allowing for the required comment periods. During the public comment period, two telephone calls were received inquiring about the purchase assistance programs. No other public comments were received.
CDBG Program: Broward County will receive CDBG funding in the amount of $2,828,381 on behalf of the unincorporated areas and the 15 participating cities with populations under 50,000, which include Cooper City, Dania Beach, Hallandale Beach, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Lauderdale Lakes, Lazy Lake, Lighthouse Point, North Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Parkland, Pembroke Park, Sea Ranch Lakes, Southwest Ranches, West Park, and Wilton Manors. Grant funds received by the County are reallocated back to the participating cities to address their respective priorities. Additionally, the County anticipates receiving approximately $130,000 in program income derived from the CDBG Program for reallocation to other CDBG eligible projects/activities, to include administrative and direct service costs. The total CDBG funding including the estimated program income is $2,958,381. The entitlement cities with populations in excess of 50,000 receive their own direct funding allocations from HUD. In addition to the Broward County small cities, who receive a formula-based portion of the allocation, the County attempts to set aside some funds for non-profit organizations if the funding allocation permits. This funding is part of the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) Request for Proposals.
The County will also be administering and implementing, through interlocal agreements, the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 CDBG funds for the City of Coconut Creek in the amount of $317,822, the City of Margate in the amount of $382,052, the City of Plantation in the amount of $542,297, and the City of Weston in the amount of $367,103, adhering to their corresponding Fiscal Year 2020-2021 AAP’s. The County will receive up to 20% of each grant for Administration.
HOME Program: Broward County will receive HOME funding in the amount of $3,855,021. This funding includes Broward County, the HOME Consortium Lead Entity, and the 11 participating HOME Consortium cities which include Coconut Creek, Coral Springs, Davie, Deerfield Beach, Lauderhill, Margate, Miramar, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Sunrise, and Tamarac. The creation of a HOME Consortium is required by HUD for the County and the cities to receive HOME funding. The County, through interlocal agreements, administers the HOME Consortium. Additionally, the County anticipates receiving approximately $500,000 in program income derived from County and Consortium Cities HOME Projects for reallocation to cities and/or other County eligible HOME Projects and/or activities, to include administrative and direct service costs.
The HOME Program grant requires that 15% of the HOME funding allocation be set aside for nonprofit Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDO’s). This allocation is also done through the NOFA process. The cities of Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, and Hollywood receive their own HOME funding allocations directly from HUD.
The total HOME funding including the estimated anticipated program income is $4,355,021. The County will also be administering and implementing, through interlocal agreements, the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 HOME funds for the City of Coconut Creek, the City of Margate, the City of Plantation, and the Town of Davie.
ESG Program: Broward County will receive ESG funding in the amount of $239,140 Countywide, to address homelessness. The annual NOFA process is used to distribute the grant funding.
Non-formula CDBG, HOME and ESG
The ESG fund allocations, along with the aforementioned CHDO and CDBG non-formula allocation are part of the NOFA Request for Proposals process.
Organizations being recommended for funding under the CDBG, HOME, and ESG Programs were part of the RFP process. Their applications were evaluated by committees consisting of HFCRD staff and municipal staff who are practitioners in the planning, housing, and the community development field. Individual projects, except for public service activities, were recommended for full funding based on their evaluation scores, until the available funds were exhausted. CDBG public service projects cannot exceed 15% of the County’s total CDBG allocation. The County’s small cities and the required HUD public service activities, like Fair Housing and Housing Authority partnership requirement, use almost all that percentage, therefore, only capital, or affordable housing projects are considered for funding.
Funding recommendations under the ESG Program are done according to HUD eligibility category requirements. ESG funding for the emergency shelter and street outreach categories is limited to a maximum of 60% of the grant, and the remaining funds must be allocated to Rapid Rehousing category. HFCRD received no applications for the Rapid Rehousing category; therefore, the remaining funds are being allocated to the County Family Success Division. Funding priorities set by the Continuum of Care Advisory Committee are also taken into consideration when funding recommendations are made.
Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Annual Action Plan and five-year Consolidated Plan Project Beneficiary Summary
The projects in the AAP provide for rehabilitation of a minimum of 19 (four CDBG and 15 HOME) single family homes; purchase assistance to a minimum of 69 (30 CDBG and 39 HOME) first time home buyers; three affordable housing acquisition/rehabilitation units; approximately 1,000 beneficiaries to be assisted in projects related to public services, including, but not limited to housing counseling, senior transportation, youth leadership, and providing supportive services for special needs and; construction of various infrastructure improvements to benefit approximately 9,455 residents including but not limited to, park improvements, ADA/barrier free improvements, and sewer and drainage improvements in low/moderate income neighborhoods; assistance to a minimum of 23 homeless residents with rapid re-housing services; and 942 homeless individuals with emergency shelter and support services.
The HFCRD expects that throughout the term of the five-year CP, the County will assist a total of 95 households with housing rehabilitation, 345 households with purchase assistance, a minimum of 15 affordable housing projects to include acquisition rehabilitation and/or new construction, 5,000 beneficiaries with public service activities, 47,275 beneficiaries/residents will benefit from capital and infrastructure improvements, 115 homeless residents with rapid re-housing, and 4,710 homeless individuals with emergency shelter and support services.
The HFCRD received notice from HUD regarding all grant allocations for the Fiscal Year 2020/2021 AAP preparation and submittal in May 2020. This year, HUD’s five-year CP and Analysis of Impediments (AI) and the AAP were all due simultaneously. These documents require multiple meetings, citizen outreach and required public notices. This year required multiple plan deadlines and regulatory requirements while chartering through and facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The HFCRD was able to successfully complete all HUD requirements and plans by the HUD deadlines; however, it was not possible to take these items to the Board for submittal by the June 16, 2020 meeting, the last meeting before the Board’s summer recess. The Board’s first scheduled meeting was on August 18, 2020, after the HUD submission deadline was August 14, 2020. Failure to submit by the August 14, 2020, deadline could have resulted in the automatic loss of all the Fiscal Year 2020 funding or delayed the award of the entitlement yearly HUD grants.
For that reason, during the Board’s 2020 summer recess, the County Administrator, pursuant to authority under Section 20.31 of the Broward County Administrative Code, approved the submission to HUD of the Broward County five-year CP, and Fiscal Year 2020-2021 AAP (Exhibit 2) in order to meet HUD's submittal deadline of August 14, 2020. The five-year CP describes the County’s community development priorities and multiyear goals based on an assessment of housing and community development needs, an analysis of housing and economic market conditions, and available resources. The plan also describes the non-housing community development plans and affirmatively furthers fair housing by including the updated AI assessing how these laws, regulations, policies and procedures affect location, availability, and accessibility of housing, and how conditions, both private and public, affect fair housing choice. The AAP includes the proposed activities for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 for the CDBG, HOME, and ESG Programs.
HUD has subsequently approved Broward County’s CP and AAP and submitted the attached HUD Grant funding agreements (Exhibit 1) for execution.
Source of Additional Information
Ralph Stone, Director, Housing Finance and Community Redevelopment Division, 954-357-5320
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
This action is part of the application process for $2,828,381 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program funds; $3,855,021 in HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program funds; $239,140 in Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program funds; and a projected $130,000 in CDBG Program Income and $500,000 in HOME Program Income, for a total of $7,552,542 in grant funding from HUD for Fiscal Year 2020-2021.
There is no fiscal impact to the County.